Qi Baishi, the most famous modern Chinese painter, was also a prolific carver of seals: one of his epithets was “Rich Man of Three Hundred Seals”. He published several books of seals, well before his paintings were published.
I carved my very first tiny seal with a pin, but later I learned the right way from Qu Leilei.
I carve my own seals and teach seal carving on request.
I carve my own seals and teach seal carving on request.
Here are some of the seals I have carved:
The steps for making a seal are:
- Find Your Name or Phrase
- Find the Seal Script
- Decide size, shape & type (relief or intaglio)
- Design the seal
- Carve the seal
It is essential to use chisels designed for cutting stone.
Useful Videos by Henry Li:
- Good overview of seal design & cutting: part 1 & part 2 .
- Here you can hear how “crispy” the stone is.
- This includes an alternative approach to transferring the design to the seal, and the side-colophon.
- Another demonstration, using a clamp to hold the seal.
- A pair of name seals.
- How to choose the chisels.
Demonstration by Chinese carver, showing his cutting action, and including use of a file to distress the seal, and how to take a rubbing of the side colophon.
Information about seal carving and examples of famous seal carvers. My favourite is Deng Shiru.
Contemporary seal exhibition by Li Lanqing at the British Museum.